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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 21 / Wednesday, January 31, 2018 / Notices
to respond to, nor shall a person be
subject to a penalty for failure to comply
with, a collection of information subject
to the requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act, unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid
OMB Control Number.
For further information please
contact: Vidya Desai, Senior Advisor for
Trade Events, Trade Promotion
Programs (IBP2019@trade.gov).
Frank Spector,
Trade Promotion Programs.
[FR Doc. 2018–01869 Filed 1–30–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No.: PTO–P–2017–0051]
Manual of Patent Examining
Procedure, Ninth Edition, Revision of
January 2018
United States Patent and
Trademark Office, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The United States Patent and
Trademark Office (‘‘USPTO’’) issued a
revision of the ninth edition of the
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure
(‘‘MPEP’’) in January 2018 to provide
updated information on patent
examination policy and procedure
(‘‘January 2018 revision’’). The MPEP is
published to provide patent examiners
and the public with a reference work on
the practices and procedures relative to
the prosecution of patent applications
before the USPTO. The MPEP contains
instructions to examiners, as well as
other material in the nature of
information and interpretation, and
outlines the current procedures which
the examiners are required or
authorized to follow in appropriate
cases in the normal examination of a
patent application.
ADDRESSES: The USPTO prefers that
suggestions for improving the form and
content of the MPEP be submitted via
email to mpepfeedback@uspto.gov or
via the IdeaScale® tool available at:
https://uspto-mpep.ideascale.com/a/
index. Written comments may also be
submitted by mail addressed to:
Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box
1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450,
marked to the attention of Editor,
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure.
The USPTO prefers that any comments
or suggestions specifically directed to
subject matter eligibility be directed to:
2014_interim_guidance@uspto.gov.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:36 Jan 30, 2018
Jkt 244001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert A. Clarke, Editor of the MPEP by
telephone (571–272–7735) or by email
(Robert.Clarke@uspto.gov) or Linda
Therkorn, Patent Examination Policy
Advisor by telephone (571–272–7837)
or by email (Linda.Therkorn@
uspto.gov).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
USPTO issued a revision to the ninth
edition of the MPEP in January 2018,
which provides USPTO patent
examiners, applicants, attorneys, agents,
representatives of applicants, and other
members of the public with a reference
work on the practices and procedures
relative to the prosecution of patent
applications before the USPTO. The
MPEP contains instructions to
examiners, as well as other material in
the nature of information and
interpretation, and outlines the current
procedures which the examiners are
required or authorized to follow in
appropriate cases in the normal
examination of a patent application.
Although the MPEP does not have the
force of law or the force of the rules in
Title 37 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, it ‘‘is well known to those
registered to practice in the PTO and
reflects the presumptions under which
the PTO operates.’’ Critikon, Inc. v.
Becton Dickinson Vascular Access, Inc.,
120 F.3d 1253, 1257 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
In the January 2018 revision, sections
of chapters 200, 700–1000, 1200, 1400,
1500, 1800, 2000–2300, 2500, and 2700
have been updated. The updated
sections have a revision indicator of [R–
08.2017], meaning these sections have
been updated to reflect USPTO patent
practice and relevant case law as of
August 31, 2017. In addition, Chapter
FPC (the Form Paragraph Book), the
Table of Contents, Foreword,
Introduction, Subject Matter Index, and
all Appendices except Appendix I and
Appendix P have been updated. The
changes in the January 2018 revision are
discussed in the Change Summary for
the Ninth Edition, Revision 08.2017.
The policies stated in the January 2018
revision supersede any policies stated in
prior editions, including revisions, of
the MPEP to the extent that there is any
conflict.
The January 2018 revision of the
ninth edition of the MPEP may be
viewed or downloaded free of charge
from the USPTO website at https://
www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/
and is available to search online at
http://mpep.uspto.gov. Archived copies
of each of the prior revisions and
editions of the MPEP continue to be
available for reference. Links to the
archived copies are available on the
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
4473
USPTO website at https://
www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/
old/index.htm.
Dated: January 25, 2018.
Joseph Matal,
Associate Solicitor, performing the functions
and duties of the Under Secretary of
Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and
Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2018–01866 Filed 1–30–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[FE Docket No. 17–167–LNG]
Galveston Bay LNG, LLC; Application
for Long-Term, Multi-Contract
Authorization To Export Liquefied
Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade
Agreement Nations
Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.
Notice of application.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Office of Fossil Energy
(FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE)
gives notice of receipt of an application
(Application), filed on December 22,
2017, by Galveston Bay LNG, LLC
(Galveston Bay LNG), requesting longterm, multi-contract authorization to
export domestically produced liquefied
natural gas (LNG) in a volume
equivalent to 785.7 billion cubic feet
(Bcf) per year of natural gas. Galveston
Bay LNG seeks authorization to export
this LNG from its proposed natural gas
liquefaction facility to be located in
Texas City, Texas (Galveston Bay LNG
Project).
Galveston Bay LNG seeks
authorization to export this LNG to
countries with which trade is not
prohibited by U.S. law or policy,
including both countries with which the
United States has entered into a free
trade agreement (FTA) requiring
national treatment for trade in natural
gas (FTA countries) and all other
countries (non-FTA countries).
Galveston Bay LNG requests the nonFTA authorization for a term of 20
years, to begin on the date of first export
following the commencement of
operations or seven years from the date
of a final order granting export
authorization, whichever is first. In
addition, Galveston Bay LNG is
requesting that it be afforded a threeyear make-up period for the purpose of
exporting any volume it is unable to
export during the original export period,
consistent with DOE/FE precedent.
Galveston Bay LNG further requests this
authorization on its own behalf and as
agent for other entities who hold title to
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\31JAN1.SGM
31JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 21 (Wednesday, January 31, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 4473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-01866]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No.: PTO-P-2017-0051]
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, Ninth Edition, Revision of
January 2018
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO'')
issued a revision of the ninth edition of the Manual of Patent
Examining Procedure (``MPEP'') in January 2018 to provide updated
information on patent examination policy and procedure (``January 2018
revision''). The MPEP is published to provide patent examiners and the
public with a reference work on the practices and procedures relative
to the prosecution of patent applications before the USPTO. The MPEP
contains instructions to examiners, as well as other material in the
nature of information and interpretation, and outlines the current
procedures which the examiners are required or authorized to follow in
appropriate cases in the normal examination of a patent application.
ADDRESSES: The USPTO prefers that suggestions for improving the form
and content of the MPEP be submitted via email to
[email protected] or via the IdeaScale[supreg] tool available at:
https://uspto-mpep.ideascale.com/a/index. Written comments may also be
submitted by mail addressed to: Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box
1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450, marked to the attention of Editor,
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. The USPTO prefers that any
comments or suggestions specifically directed to subject matter
eligibility be directed to: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert A. Clarke, Editor of the MPEP
by telephone (571-272-7735) or by email ([email protected]) or
Linda Therkorn, Patent Examination Policy Advisor by telephone (571-
272-7837) or by email ([email protected]).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USPTO issued a revision to the ninth
edition of the MPEP in January 2018, which provides USPTO patent
examiners, applicants, attorneys, agents, representatives of
applicants, and other members of the public with a reference work on
the practices and procedures relative to the prosecution of patent
applications before the USPTO. The MPEP contains instructions to
examiners, as well as other material in the nature of information and
interpretation, and outlines the current procedures which the examiners
are required or authorized to follow in appropriate cases in the normal
examination of a patent application. Although the MPEP does not have
the force of law or the force of the rules in Title 37 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, it ``is well known to those registered to practice
in the PTO and reflects the presumptions under which the PTO
operates.'' Critikon, Inc. v. Becton Dickinson Vascular Access, Inc.,
120 F.3d 1253, 1257 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
In the January 2018 revision, sections of chapters 200, 700-1000,
1200, 1400, 1500, 1800, 2000-2300, 2500, and 2700 have been updated.
The updated sections have a revision indicator of [R-08.2017], meaning
these sections have been updated to reflect USPTO patent practice and
relevant case law as of August 31, 2017. In addition, Chapter FPC (the
Form Paragraph Book), the Table of Contents, Foreword, Introduction,
Subject Matter Index, and all Appendices except Appendix I and Appendix
P have been updated. The changes in the January 2018 revision are
discussed in the Change Summary for the Ninth Edition, Revision
08.2017. The policies stated in the January 2018 revision supersede any
policies stated in prior editions, including revisions, of the MPEP to
the extent that there is any conflict.
The January 2018 revision of the ninth edition of the MPEP may be
viewed or downloaded free of charge from the USPTO website at https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/ and is available to search online
at http://mpep.uspto.gov. Archived copies of each of the prior
revisions and editions of the MPEP continue to be available for
reference. Links to the archived copies are available on the USPTO
website at https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/old/index.htm.
Dated: January 25, 2018.
Joseph Matal,
Associate Solicitor, performing the functions and duties of the Under
Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the
United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-01866 Filed 1-30-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P